Curvilinead



Jan. 8, 1935. s. 1 HENSLEY CURVILINEAD F'ile'd 001. 12, 1951 INV EN TOR.

2113A-- si'afina/Z519 Patented Jan. 8, 1935 CURVILINEAD Samuel L. Hensley, vKansas City, Mo., assignor of Y fifty-one per cent to F. E. Gallup and Amber N. Brunson, both of Kansas City, Mol

` Application October 12, 1931,l Serial No.'5`6`8,328

' s c1aims. (c1. as me) This invention relates tocurvilineads, and my object is to produce a device designed more especially for defining approximately true circles of different diameters, symmetrical ellipses of varied size and proportion, and figures of varied size, having substantially equal sized semi-circu-v lar or approximately semi-circular `ends and happroximately at sides. 1

A further object is to produce adevice ofthe character mentioned'in which the parts when adjusted tovform or define a desired'line or ligure will remain, or may be secured in 'fixed relation and form a dependable guide for a handmanipulated pencil, penory other 'markingdevice. .l

A further object of thel invention isfto produce a device of the character above-outlined which is of simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction.

V4With the general objects'named invview, and others as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain' novel landvuseful features of construction and organization of 'partsfas hereinafter described and claimed; and in order Vthat it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

` Figure 1 is a plan View ofthe preferred form of thefdevice as arranged in full lines for deninga true ellipse, and in dotted lines, a true circle and an elliptical gure having rounded ends and approximately nat or slightly curved sides.

Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical section taken longitudinally of the handle portion of the device. f'

Figure 3 lis an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a modified construction.

Figure .4 is a horizontal section on the line V-V of Figure 2. f

Figure 5 is'a detail perspective view.

Figures 6 and '7 are diagrammatic plans respectively indicating pinched in or distorted and 'true ellipses, the distortion of the former being due to an insufficient overlap of the 'free end on the fastened end of the ribbon.

. In the said drawing, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates a thin resilient strip or ribbon of steely or other material, formed at one end with 'ashort laterally-projecting portion' or grip 2, and secured'iiatly at the other end tothe rear side vvof an upstanding plate 3 detachably fastened to the front face of a Apost 4 having a vertical re- -cess 5 loosely receiving the end of the ribbon fasy tened to said plate, said post also having an arm 5'5 -6 projecting to the right for a purpose, which hereinafterfappears, the provision of said arm permitting'of the use of a post of less width than would'otherwise be desirable, it being understood that: thev ribbon is disposed with one side`edg`e, the bottomV edge, facing downward.' Said edge -5 is reduced in thickness by having a beveled inner surface 7, and its fastened end at the outer side thereof is tapered to a sharp edge as at 8.'

" In the preferred embodiment, the post 4 is rigidly secured to and depends from the front end 10 of a horizontally-disposed screw rod 9,which'extends slidingly through a-bifurcated postlO, but has norotary action, the preferred arrangement top'rovide for longitudinal movement only being a key-way or slot 11 in the screw rod anda pin 15 12 secured to the bifurcated post and-engaging said keyway or slot, together with a rotatable thumbY nut. 13 engaging the screw rodand fitting in the bifurcation of saidpost 10 so that byturn; ing the nut in one direction 'or the other the 20 screw rod can be advanced or` retractedrelative to the bifurcated post Aand thus correspondingly affect the fastened .end vof the'resilient ribbon.

.A recessed "or slotted post 14 (thelslot being `as shown in the post 14a of Figure 3), for engaging 25 the resilient ribbon` at" an intermediatepoint in its length, especially when it is ydesiredto cause l the ribbon to dene an' elliptical figure orda ligure having substantially semi-circular ends and relatively flattened sides, is in'xed relation 30 to post 10 and in alinement with the screw rod. Posts 10 and 14 project upwardlyv froml a base 15 of laterally bowed form to accommodate the largest curvilinear figure the'resilient--ribbonfis capable of describing, and the bottom of the base 35 occupiessubstantially the same Ahorizontal plane as the lower-edge of the ribbongand may serve as a stabilizer of the ribbon when bent to desired form and therefore under tension, the chief func` tion, however, of the base, beingto hold the posts 40 10 and 14 immovable underthe resistance offered by the ribbon to bending movements imparted thereto bythe thrust or pull action of the screw rod when advanced or retracted by the ro1- tation of vthe' nut. r. A The device above described may be used, to dei-lne circles,fsymmetrical or true ellipses and what may be termed flattened ellipses,A and to; arrange itfor either `type of ellipticalfigure mentioned, the'freeend is grasped to'bend the ribbon 50 and, at a point near or remote from the grip accordingly'as the figure to be defined is tobe large or small, it 4is fitted in ythe recess 5 of the post 4, and thereby caused to lie flatly against the tapered surface 8 ofthe fastened end (see 55 4PATENT i Figure 4), the taper permitting the part overlapping it to so lie that a pencil drawn along the lower edge of the ribbon across the joint or juncture point of the overlapping parts, will produce a line without a perceptible jog or break. To define a circular figurethe ribbon at an intermediate point, is engaged with the recess of post 4, .but it is notttedin the post 14, and therefore, throughzitsowniresiliency defines a circular figure as indicated dtted lines 1e', Figure 1, and l such figure can be made as large as desired within the length of the ribbon or as small as desiredI by merely adjusting its grip toward or fromfitlie` post 4. The ribbon when not in engagement with post 14, can be reverselyf bent, and rHeld byy the` hand to define a symmetrical"`iigure seinii-cuiix'z'iilar.r

at one end and tapering toapovintat the other, but as this capacity is inherent inf any` V"resilier-it strip, reference is madelto itA only to indicate that vit is not confined entirely for defining'circular y or elliptical` figures.,- Whenthe device V- is not.-,re

@nut isVV turned properly to bring` the circularly benty ribbon into'position where it can ber-tted i upintotheslotsof' post`14, or the free end canibe slid infpostfiuntil the circle formed by thefribbon is'enlargedfsufiiciently to permit it to beiitted in: saidfslot; the latter being the quicker adjustment. When thus arranged with; they ribbon.' held at diametrically'opposite points, the nut will'gbe turnedfto'feed or slide thescrew'rod: rearwardly. This transformstheA` circular form of the ribbon intofa'perfec't ellipse (seefull lines, Figure l) with its major axis disposedy longitudinally of the ,Vde-

vicegand as the'extent ofthe' rearward adjust-z mentof the screw'rod is"` increased, the elliptical figure correspondingly',increases in length and diminishes in width, It `wasfound,. especially in firming. small ellipses,. thatwhere a substantial part' of ,thefreei end off.the-ribb`onv was unconned and thereforelouts'ide ofthe partactually defining the? figure,` that'` such unconiined parthad a. tendencyltoproject at a=.tangent from the fastened endto'o` quicklyifl thefp'ostwas as narrow as was desiredand thus to slightly pinchi inthe rear end of? thelf'lgure (see2Figurel 6.) ,andto overcome thiswitlioutmakingthe post,- asa whole, of un;- de'sirable width, the i arm-Gwas formed to extend ori increase the' length`` of. the bearingon the overlapping part'ofl thestrip. The arm transfers'the pointwhe'retheoverlapping parts of'tlie strip di- Verge, to an appreciable distance to one'side' of the major axis of the ellipse andas a result'dister-tion `or pinching vofthe adjacent end` of the figure `defined by the ribbon, is-aVOided,L as indicated in Figure -7. n

Toproduce a figure with rounded ends and relatively flat sides, the nut isturnedlto advance thescrewrod and-hence apply apushl instead of al pull on the ribbon when engaged at an intermediatepoint with post14 and nearer the free end with post 4, the majoraxis of the figureinthis instantr extendingA transversely of the screw rod asiat 1'7.` I

' It will be Vnoted that the arrangement of the post 14a. lployed. This form can be used eiiectively, but n ribbon in circular or elliptic forms leaves the interior of the figure unobstructed and that the beveled lower edge permits of the use of a ruling pen to reproduce the figure on paper or the like on which the strip rests, with but little chance of smearing because the extreme point of the pen,- Vif reasonable care is exercised, will not contact with-thie.ribbon., i i -i InFigure I'show a modiqedcgnxtruction involving the use of a non-threaded rod 18 adapted for turning movement, which rod carries a slotted In this construction no base is embecause therod extends clear across the elliptical figures formedgjapencil or pen cannot be used .to-inscribethe complete figure in a single sweep, as possible wherey the base, entirely outside the strip', serves-asitliesupport for the front post 14,

though; it,will be understood that if the posts 4 and'1'4,`are tall enough to dispose the screw several! inchesx abovev horizonte-li plane vofl` the strip or ribbon, an elliptical-line. may be draw-n withoutV raising the-pen fromgthe paper. As lposts as high' as suggested would-.be 1 undesirable,I it 1 is contemplatedtjo produce themodified form'for usewwith pencilnr stylus'markers only. i Referring, noiavf-inl detail. tov `the vmodified construction, there will be foundpajrts lto ,"1 .as in thepreierred form.. PostA however, has athreadeci-socket:v 19 having', a tapering-front endl20 and plate 3 has? an; openingv 2l: registering Awith ,said sockets, Bost 4,/is formedwithya bifurcation inthe formgshownin Figure 3, sai'dzbifurcation or-recess 26-receiving the-free end of the fribbonV when` the device is not lin use.. 'Ihe recess also serves, when thefree endoftheribbon after extending through thesrecessi", isbentback tofform afi'gure'rounded i at .Y one end; and tapering; to` a point Lat l the other, to hold said end adjacent the grip` l Inthe rpreferredzconstruction, theregisahandle 221 mounted' on: af r t'hreadedyz sleeve V23Y whereby 'the -handle .isy-secured in ,-rigidygrelation toA the post` l0, and incidentallyjforms afrelatively long guideaorsupport Afor the threaded rod. In the other construction, there is; a, handle 24grigidly secured; on a ,threaded sleeve Y 25: having, a tapered kand*split-1.front enid-` forengagementwith. the socket 19; the arrangement being such that -byirotating the handle 24 inone direction or the' other,

itsrsplit endis` caused4 by the socket toclamp upon orK release: thejslid'able; rod for longitudinal adjustment, .the yadjustment beingeffected by; applyingav push orpullon` the rodiandwhenthe-desired adjustment is secured-with post/114 of course,y fitted'. down; on. an intermediate part'4 of the ribbontheA handle is` screwedforwardto clamptherod: in position-and thus retain: theribbon in elliptic form.

, From. thexabovedescription it will be apparent that Ihave'iproduced a constructionv which embodiesi allaor the features of advantage' set-forth 'as desirable.; and while I have kdescribed yand claimed. theY preferred embodiment of the invention, I reservethe right tomakeall changes prop- Verly fallingzwithin theL spirit of the'inventionf and terior side of its fastened end, the exterior side of the fastened end of the ribbon tapering inwardly to the extremity of such end, and means for engaging the exterior surface of the overlapping part of the ribbon beyond the point where the taper of the end of the ribbon begins, to hold the overlapping portion flatly against and conforming to said taper.

2. In a device of the character described, a post, and a resilient ribbon secured flatly at one end to the post and so disposed whenin use,that its lower edge shall engage aA surface to be marked; the post having a recess for receiving and holding the free end of the ribbon with its lower edge in the plane of the lower edge of the secured end and with one side tting flatly against the exterior side of its fastened end, rthe ribbon being bevelled at the lower edge of its inner side.

3. In a device of lthe character described, a

post, a resilient ribbon secured flatly at one end to the post and so disposed when in use that its lower edge shall engage a surface to be marked;

the post having a recess for receiving and hold-` ing the free endof the ribbon with its lower edge in the plane of the lower edge of the secured end and with one side fitting atly 'against the exterior side of its fastened end, a second post for engaging the ribbon at an intermediate point of its length when the latter is describing a curvilinear figure and fitted at its "free end in` said recess, and means for applying force to effect relative approaching or receding movement of the posts to force the ribbon to define an elliptic figure.

4. In a device of thecharacter described, a post, a resilient ribbon secured flatly at one end to the post and so disposed when in use that its lower edge shall engage a surfaceto be marked; the post having a recess for receiving and holding the free end of the ribbon with its lower edge in the plane of the lower edge of the secured end and with one side fitting flatly against the exterior side of its fastened end, a second post for engaging the ribbon at an intermediate point of its length when the latter is describing a curvilinear figure and fitted at its free end in said recess, and a longitudinally adjustable rod secured to one of said posts and movable relative to the other post for eifecting relative approaching or receding movement of the posts to force the ribbon to define an elliptic figure.

5. In a device of the character described, a post, a resilient ribbon secured atly at one end to the post and so disposed when in use that its lower edge shall engage a surface to be marked; the post having a recess for receiving and holding the free end of the ribbon with its lower edge in the plane of the lower edge ofthe edge of the secured end and with one side fitting flatly against the exterior side of its fastened end, a

second post for engaging the ribbon at an intermediate point of its length when the latter is describing a curvilinear figure and fitted at its free end in said recess, a longitudinally adjustable rod secured to one of said posts and movable relative to the other post for effecting relative approaching or receding movement of the poststo force the ribbon to denne an elliptic figure, and rotary means to impart longitudinal movement to the rod.

6. In a device of the character described, a base, a pair of posts thereon, a handle secured to one post, a screw` rod extending through the handle and the last-named post and in non-rotatable and slidable relation to said post, means for effecting the slidable action of thescrew rod, a third post rigidly depending from the frontend of the screw rod between the rst-named pair of posts, and ar resilient ribbon fastened at one extremity to the post rigid with the screw rod and also held by the last-named post in overlapping engagement with the exterior side of said fastened end, and slidingly held at an intermediatepoint by the post beyond the front end of the rod.

'7.l In a device of the character described, a pair of posts having slots open at one end, a rod slidably engaging one and rigidly carrying the otherr of said posts, a resilient ribbon'for engagement in the slots of said posts and fastened at one extremity to the post bearing a slidable relation to the rod, and a handle fitting on the rod and having a split threaded portion in engagement with the last-named post adapted when screwed rmly into the latter to clamp upon the rod and inhibit movement thereof.

8. In a device of the character described a handle member, a pair of posts carried by the handle member and being relatively movable toward and from each other, and a resilient member for abutment against a member to be marked having one end xedly and its other end slidably secured to one of said posts, and its intermediate portion being slidably related tosaid other post.

9. In a device of the character described, a post, a resilient ribbon secured atly at one end to the post and so disposed when in use that its lower edge shall engage a surface to be marked; the post having a recess for slidably receiving and holding the free end of the ribbon with its lower edge in the plane of the lower edge of the secured end and with one side fitting flatly against one side of its secured end, a second post for engaging the ribbon at an intermediate point in its length, and a rod carrying one of said posts and adjustable longitudinally in relation to the other post toveffect approaching and receding movement of said posts.

SAMUEL L. HENSLEY. 

